Use NotePlan in Claude on iPhone, iPad and the Web (Remote Connector)

The NotePlan remote connector lets Claude read, search and edit your NotePlan notes from anywhere: the Claude app on iPhone and iPad, claude.ai in the browser, and the Claude desktop app. It runs on NotePlan's server and reads your notes from iCloud, so your Mac doesn't need to be on.

Only use Claude on your Mac? The built-in connector runs inside NotePlan and can do more (calendar, reminders, templates, plugins): How to Install the NotePlan MCP Server. You can use both at the same time.

What you need

  • NotePlan syncs with CloudKit (Settings > Sync). The remote connector can't reach notes that sync with iCloud Drive or are stored only on your Mac.
  • A Claude plan that supports custom connectors.
  • If Advanced Data Protection is on for your Apple ID: turn on Access iCloud Data on the Web (iPhone: Settings > your name > iCloud). Without it, Apple doesn't let the server read your notes.

Step 1 — Add the connector in Claude

You add the connector once. Claude then shows it in all its apps, also on iPhone and iPad.

From NotePlan on your Mac (NotePlan 3.22.1 or later):

  1. Choose Help > AI Connectors (MCP) > Install Claude Remote Connector (iPhone, iPad & Web)…
  2. Click Copy URL and Open Claude. Claude's connector settings open in your browser.
  3. Click Add custom connector. Name: NotePlan. URL: paste the copied URL.

Without a Mac:

  1. Open claude.ai > Settings > Connectors in a browser (this also works on iPhone and iPad).
  2. Click Add custom connector.
  3. Name: NotePlan. URL: https://mcp.noteplan.co/mcp

Step 2 — Sign in

  1. Click Connect next to the NotePlan connector. The NotePlan sign-in page opens.
  2. Optional: tick Also connect my NotePlan Spaces if you want Claude to work with your Spaces (teamspaces) too.
  3. Click Sign in with Apple and sign in with the Apple ID that NotePlan uses. NotePlan never sees your password.
  4. If you ticked Spaces: enter the email that you use for Spaces, then the 6-digit code from the email. You can also click Skip.
  5. You return to Claude. The connector shows as connected.

Step 3 — Use it on iPhone and iPad

Open the Claude app on your iPhone or iPad. The NotePlan connector is already there, because connectors belong to your Claude account. In a chat, tap the tools button and check that NotePlan is on. Then try:

  • "What's on my NotePlan daily note today?"
  • "Add a task to call Anna to today's note."
  • "Search my notes for the offsite agenda and summarize it."
  • "Complete the task 'Send invoice' in today's note."
  • "Move my open tasks from yesterday to today."

What Claude can do

  • Read your notes and your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly notes.
  • Search all your notes and list your folders.
  • Add text and tasks; complete, cancel and reschedule tasks; replace text; create and move notes; move notes to the Trash.
  • With Spaces connected: the same for the notes of your Spaces, and manage members and invitations where your role allows it.

Claude can't delete notes permanently, and it doesn't change images or file attachments. Notes moved to the Trash can be restored in NotePlan. In a Space, Claude moves a deleted note to the Space's Trash folder, with its attachments. All members see it there. To delete it for good, delete it in that folder in NotePlan; to keep it, move it back.

Calendar events, Apple Reminders, templates and plugins need your Mac: use the built-in connector for them.

Notes saved as encrypted assets

NotePlan can store the text of a note as an encrypted file in iCloud. This happens when Save note content as encrypted asset is on (Settings > Sync, advanced options), and always for very large notes. For these notes:

  • Claude can open and read them.
  • Search finds them only by their name, not by the text in them.
  • Claude can't edit them.

To check: sign in on mcp.noteplan.co and click Check connection. It tells you if your newest notes are stored as encrypted files. If you turn the setting off, NotePlan stores notes as normal text again the next time they change.

Your data and privacy

  • You sign in on Apple's page. The server stores only an encrypted Apple session token, so it can read your notes from iCloud when Claude asks.
  • For search, the server keeps a temporary copy of your notes in memory. It's dropped after 30 minutes without use. Notes are never stored on disk, and note text is not logged.
  • Changes sync to all your devices like any other change.
  • To disconnect: remove the connector in Claude (Settings > Connectors), then sign in on mcp.noteplan.co and click Disconnect NotePlan. If you only remove the connector, the server deletes your Apple session about 30 days after its last use.

Troubleshooting

"Sign-in failed" or Claude says it can't reach your notes
Check that NotePlan syncs with CloudKit. If Advanced Data Protection is on, turn on Access iCloud Data on the Web.

Claude doesn't find a note that you know exists
The note may be stored as an encrypted asset (see above). Ask for it by its title, for example "Open the note 'Budget 2027'".

Claude says a note "already exists, but iCloud's search doesn't list it yet"
The note was saved on one of your devices a moment ago. Wait a few seconds and ask again. Claude then finds the note and adds to it.

"Spaces are not connected"
Sign in on mcp.noteplan.co and click Connect Spaces, or remove and add the connector again and tick Spaces.

Claude asks you to connect again
Click Connect next to the NotePlan connector in Claude's settings and sign in again.

Claude isn't using the NotePlan tools on iPhone
In the chat, tap the tools button and turn on NotePlan. Start a new chat.

Questions or feedback: [email protected]